Credit: The Associated Press

FILE - In this Oct. 2, 1984 file photo, Sam Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago, acknowledges the crowd along with his goat prior to a National League playoff game between the San Diego Padres and the Cubs in Chicago. Cubs fans Erik Williams and Brad Knaub are hoping to exorcise the Curse of the Billy Goat this postseason by, well, slaughtering one of their own goats. They own a company that produces sausage and other food from locally sourced meats. Now, perhaps this entire endeavor is another crackpot scheme by Cubs fans to help deliver a World Series title. But research has proven that superstitions actually do help athletes perform better. (AP Photo)

Credit: The Associated Press

FILE - In this Sept. 9, 1969, file photo, a black cat stands in front of the Chicago Cubs' dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets in New York. Cubs fans Erik Williams and Brad Knaub are hoping to exorcise the Curse of the Billy Goat this postseason by, well, slaughtering one of their own goats. They own a company that produces sausage and other food from locally sourced meats. Now, perhaps this entire endeavor is another crackpot scheme by Cubs fans to help deliver a World Series title. But research has proven that superstitions actually do help athletes perform better. (AP Photo/Dave Pickoff, File)

Erik Williams and Brad Knaub had seen every attempt to exorcise the Curse of the Billy Goat go awry, from intrepid Cubs fans who have smuggled more benevolent goats into Wrigley Field to that Greek Orthodox priest who once sprayed holy water on the dugout.